The present invention relates to candles, and in particular, to apparatus and methods for forming and packaging votive candles.
Candles come in a wide variety of styles, shapes, colors and fragrances. Scented votive candles are a very popular type of candle. A votive candle is a short, cylindrical candle, typically about 2-2.5 inches in height, and about 1.5-1.75 inches in diameter. Scented votive candles come in a wide variety of fragrances, including fragrances associated with herbs, spices, fruits and flowers. In use, votive candles provide an ambience suitable for various occasions, and votive candles with essential oils can be used for aromatherapy.
Votive candles are typically formed either by a traditional pouring process, in which hot liquid wax is poured into steel molds in the shape of a candle, or by an automatic molding machine having a plurality of molding cavities. The pouring process produces a candle having a hand-made look, whereas the automatic molding process produces a candle having lower dimensional tolerances. In either case, once the wax cools, the candle shrinks slightly, allowing the candle to be removed from the mold cups or cavities, and packaged for distribution and sale.
Poured votive candles are typically packaged by placing a quantity (typically 12-18) of bare candles in a box for shipment to retail outlets. The retailer then places the box on a stand or a shelf and opens the box to display the candles. This form of packaging has certain drawbacks. It does not provide much protection for individual candles during shipping, and it does not allow for the candles to be individually labelled. In addition, exposed candles tend to collect dust and fingerprints resulting from handling by consumers.
Some votive candles, particularly machine molded votive candles, are individually shrink wrapped prior to shipping, using automatic shrink wrapping machines. This form of packaging reduces the accumulation of dust and fingerprints, and allows for labelling. However, shrink wrapping has certain drawbacks. Many votive candles contain fragrance oils which tend to permeate through the shrink wrap, saturating the labels and rendering any affixed bar codes inoperable. Shrink wrapping requires the use of expensive machinery, and lengthens the duration of the production cycle. Since the candle tends to be fully encased within the shrink wrap, the fragrance is suppressed, making it difficult for consumers to test the scent of the candle before purchase. Shrink wrapping does not provide much protection from damage during shipping.
There is accordingly a need for a simple and inexpensive process for forming and packaging votive candles, which provides for improved protection during shipping and handling, which does not adversely affect bar-codes, and which allows consumers to see and smell the product on display.
The present invention is directed towards a container for forming and packaging a candle. The container comprises a cup having a closed bottom, a cylindrical sidewall integrally connected to the bottom, and an open top. The cup is shaped to conform to the inside surface of a mold for forming a candle from molten wax. The cup is made of a material capable of withstanding heat generated by the molten wax during formation of the candle. The sidewall is sufficiently rigid to provide protection for the candle during shipping, and the bottom is sufficiently flexible to allow the candle to be ejected from the cup by applying upwardly directed pressure thereto.
The present invention is also directed to a method for forming and packaging a candle The subject method comprises the steps of providing a container comprising a cup having a closed bottom and a cylindrical sidewall, the cup being shaped to conform to the inside surface of a mold for forming a candle, and capable of withstanding the heat generated from molten wax, placing the container into the mold, introducing a wick into the container, dispensing molten wax into the container, and cooling the mold containing the container and the wax, thereby allowing the container and the candle to be removed from the mold and subsequently distributed as a package.